1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to artificial reefs, and, more particularly, is concerned with an artificial reef system composed of vehicle tires.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Artificial reef systems have been described in the prior art. However, none of the prior art devices disclose the unique features of the present.
In U.S. Pat. No. 6,408,791 B1 dated Jun. 25, 2002, O""Dell disclosed an artificial underwater habitat comprising a structure with a downwardly opening cavity and an upwardly opening cavity including buoyancy means and ballast means. The habitat is preferably constructed in part by used tires. The habitat preferably maintains an upright orientation from the bottom of a body of water to provide an aquatic ecosystem and aquatic food chain at differing depths. The upright orientation of the habitat also minimizes the effect of silting on the habitat. The buoyancy means includes a novel structure for pressurized gas filled containers.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,807,023, dated Sep. 15, 1998, Krenzler disclosed an artificial reef that can provide a safe haven for small aquatic life and promotes phytoplankton growth, of which phytoplankton is food for the small aquatic life. The reef includes at least one tubular vehicle tire having a wall that defines an exterior and a hollow interior. The wall includes oppositely situated sidewalls that are interconnected by a treadwall to provide a substantially U-shaped radial cross-section. At lease one elongated corrodible iron insert is inserted through each wall. Each insert has a first end, a second end and a center. The first end extends into the hollow interior; the center is securely positioned through wall between the exterior and the interior, and the second and extends externally of the exterior. The insert is preferably a pail but may be a staple or other shape. The inserts may have varying iron contents to control the insert corrosion rates. In use, the inserts corrode to promote rapid phytoplankton growth. Additionally the phytoplankton consumes carbon dioxide during the rapid growth. The hollow interior provides a safe haven for the aquatic life that feed on the phytoplankton.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,947,791, dated Aug. 14, 1990, Laier, et al., disclosed an artificial reef for marine life consisting of a system of flexible, buoyant geometric bodies. The bodies are each walled members formed of a plastics material and having a large plurality of holes or openings therein. Each of the bodies is buoyant and is anchored on the sea floor via respective variable length cable so that the bodies float within the water at various elevations. The bodies may be formed of the same size and shape or different sizes and shapes, with the openings therein also being of the same shape or different shapes and sizes. In certain embodiments the bodies are telescoped within each other, and in other embodiments the bodies are interconnected together in a manner such that their axes are in a nonparallel relationship to each other.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,476, dated Dec. 6, 1994, Streichenberger, et al., disclosed a low relief artificial reef made of one or more threads of automobile tires partially buried in a sedimentary bottom and partially protruding above it. The artificial reef can be built on land and conveyed floating to the site of installment. It can also be built on a boat and dropped directly onto the water bottom.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,139,319, dated Feb. 13, 1979, Anderson disclosed a flexible monolithic mat of motor vehicle rubber tires woven together with eaving reinforcing holding rods and concrete comprising: a plurality of rubber tires arranged in a horizontal plane comprised of at least four tires tangent to each other with each tire being tangent to at least two of the other tires, each tire having a concrete rim form in the area normally occupied by the steel rim when the tire is used on an automobile, each form being filled with concrete and the area bound by the plurality of tires being filled with concrete, reinforcing rods arranged in the concrete and extending between at least two of the tires, the reinforcing rods which extends between any two of the tires crossing the reinforcing rods of the other two tires, the reinforcing rods extending along a horizontal plane and being approximately midway of the concrete in the rim and passing from the body of the tire into approximately the mid portion of the concrete bound by the plurality of tires and passing from the body of the other tire of the at least two tires and into approximately the mid portion of concrete in the rim of the other tire.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,113,792, dated May 19, 1992, Jones, et al., disclosed an improved artificial reef module for creating a feeding and shelter habitat for fish. The artificial reef module includes a column of vertically or horizontally arranged sheets of corrugated material. The corrugated channels of each sheet run transverse to the adjacent sheet, t hereby providing a system of complex channels and passageways within the module. Additionally, the flutes of one sheet may have a different height from the flutes of an adjacent sheet, thereby adding to the complexity of the passage system.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,675,626, dated Jul. 11, 1972, Down disclosed a method of growing oysters on annular rings by first placing and vertically suspending the rings on a horizontal support in an oyster seed growing marine habitat, then suspending the rings horizontally on support lines in a vertical stack where the oysters grow to maturity.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,370,476, dated Dec. 6, 1994, Streichenberger disclosed a low relief artificial reef made of one or more threads of automobile tires partially buried in a sedimentary bottom and partially protruding above it. The artificial reef can be built on land and conveyed floating to the site of installment. It can also be built on a boat and dropped directly onto the water bottom.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,130,994 dated Dec. 26, 1978, Van Moss, Jr., disclosed a means to produce an artificial reef or floating breakwater wherein a series of buoyant disks are strung on a buoyant flexible line in spaced relation to each other with the lower end of the line being tethered to its own anchor. These tethered disks are placed preferably in about 6 to 18 feet water depth from the shoreline. A series of these disk-anchors are strung along in or out of lines paralleling the shoreline and in various depths of water to provide effective grid means for eliminating or at least substantially reducing the erosion effect along shoreline resulting from wave action. The placement of the disk rope anchor units is preferably in the water paralleling the shoreline and each unit is spaced apart from the other. However, the spacing is not critical but to accomplish the results sought to be achieved, the spacing ought to be close enough to be effective and yet not tangle with each other. Also several rows of the units may be employed in staggered relationship with each row, and the units may be removed at will.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,058, dated May 25, 1993, Parker et al., disclosed an artificial stone crab habitat constructed of used pneumatic tire casings which are modified to allow easy access for harvesting and cleaning operations. Multiple tire casings are stacked and tethered together with a rope or cable harness.
While these artificial reef systems may be suitable for the purposes for which they were designed, they would not be as suitable for the purposes of the present invention, as hereinafter described.
The present invention discloses an artificial reef system having a plurality of tire casings tethered onto a cable-like line which reef system is supported in an upright position by a flotation device at its top end and which artificial reef system is anchored to the bottom of the ocean by another tire casing filled with concrete having an anchoring device disposed on its underside. The cable-like line may be monofilament. The reef system of tire casings is disposed upwardly due to the buoyancy of the flotation means and is free to move with the current in a natural manner to the extent that the cable-like line allows. The flotation means may have a rigid wall so that it maintains its surface displacement when subjected to underwater pressure.
An object of the present invention is to provide an artificial reef system for a habitat for sea life. A further object of the present invention is to allow for the use of tire casings to form the artificial reef system. A further objective of the present invention is to allow for the use of used tire casings to form the reef system so as to dispose of the used tires which otherwise cause an environmental hazard. A further object is to provide a flotation device which has rigid walls so that the surface displacement and buoyancy is maintained at a deep water depth.
The foregoing and other objects and advantages will appear from the description to follow. In the description reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof and in which is shown by way of illustration specific embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. These embodiments will be described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention, and it is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and that structural changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, the scope of the present invention is best defined by the appended claims.